Here are the eight base Archetypes available to Gold Members and Silver Players in Champions Online: Free For All. The Archetypes stay pretty much within existing frameworks rather than crossing them. This is because the frameworks were built with comic themes in mind and thus already match certain heroic tropes. Also, we wanted the basic eight Archetypes to be your “meat-and-potatoes” sort of heroes. We made sure the classic DPS, tank and support characters (and their common blends) are clearly and obviously represented. As we add Archetypes, they’ll get a bit more niche and specialized.

Besides the base Archetypes, we are constantly adding more specialized Archetypes. To learn about other Archetypes available free to Gold Members and for purchase by Silver Players, please visit the C-Store and click on the Powers/Archetypes tabs.

For the sake of example, we’ll be focusing The Inferno, a ranged DPS hero who can naturally control or
perhaps is even composed of fire.

First note that there is a role associated with each Archetype. Archetypes’ roles are fixed and cannot be changed on the fly. The Inferno is all about damage from a distance: He’s an Avenger.

All Archetypes have a passive and block power. The rule is that the passive is earned at level eight and the block at level 14 for all Archetypes. (This rule won’t stop us from breaking that rule if we think there’s a particularly cool Archetype that requires it, however.)

We’ve aimed to make each of these Archetypes feel like they had a niche slightly smaller than that defined by their role. For example, The Inferno is very focused on AoE powers. While he doesn’t feature any any new powers, we have made several new powers to fill out other Archetypes. These powers will of course be available within Frameworks to all free-form heroes.

Though it’s plastered right up there, let us make clear that all this information is subject to change. We’ll be watching the forums to see what you think. We think we’ve got something pretty good here, and can’t wait to have you play them and give some feedback!